


Learn to Trust

by owouwuqwqiwi



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alexis | Quackity Has A Harem, Alexis | Quackity Has Trust Issues, Alexis | Quackity Needs a Hug, Alexis | Quackity-centric, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Anxiety, Bad suns - Freeform, Depression, Everyone Loves Alexis | Quackity, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Fundy is Sleep Deprived, Height Differences, Hints of Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Inappropriate Jokes, Jschlatt Being a Jerk (Video Blogging RPF), Karl Jacobs Is Adorable, M/M, Multiple Pronouns for Eret (Video Blogging RPF), Possessive Behavior, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Tired Eret (Video Blogging RPF), Walmart, Wilbur Soot Is A Meanie, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade are Siblings, sapnap is sweet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:08:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28449705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owouwuqwqiwi/pseuds/owouwuqwqiwi
Summary: “Shut up before I bite you,” Alex said, with ill intent.Techno smirked, “I wouldn’t like that, but I know a couple people who would.”“Stop talking!”_______________________________________the title and work is based off "Learn to Trust" by Bad Suns
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity & Eret, Alexis | Quackity & Floris | Fundy, Alexis | Quackity & Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Alexis | Quackity/Jschlatt, Alexis | Quackity/Karl Jacobs, Alexis | Quackity/Sapnap, Alexis | Quackity/Wilbur Soot, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade
Comments: 142
Kudos: 663





	1. people told me slow my roll, i'm screaming out fuck that

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the title of this chapter is from "Pursuit of Happiness" by Kid Cudi. In certain chapters I will use a song line as a title for specific reasons, you'll figure it out later on. There are four songs. One reason gets one song, this reasons song is Pursuit of Happiness.
> 
> my editor: mommyissuesandheroin

Quackity absently hummed as he restocked the shelves, swaying his hips a little as he bobbed his head. The chill breeze of the store nipped at his skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Winter was one of Alex's favorite seasons. Being able to wear a beanie 24/7 without being questioned. The crisp air was a refreshing awakening from the hot days prior. The same Christmas songs played through the store speakers although it was days past the 25th. While moving from aisle to aisle, Alex began to sing along to the tunes.

"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart but the very next day, you gave it away. This year, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special."

His phone then buzzed.

**_Peppa_ **

Hey Runt, come by mine after you get off work. I need help with something. Fundy's coming too.

**_Runt_ **

okay Peppa

**_Peppa_ **

Call me that again and I'll kill you.

**_Runt_ **

Not if I kill you first >:)

**_Peppa_ **

You can't, Technoblade never dies.

**_Runt_ **

Did you just refer to yourself in third person?

_read 10:15 pm_

"Okay dickhead," Alex huffed out as he rolled his eyes.

"I sure hope you aren't talking about me."

Alex looked up and smiled. "No I'm not, Eret.... or am I?" He said while wiggling his eyebrows. She laughed at him.

"Well hurry up, your shift is almost over," they said, walking away.

"Okay, okay."

Alex felt a little anxious. Techno rarely asked for help, and when he did, it was usually for something illegal. Last time Techno had needed help, they'd ended up tagging a building and the cops rolled up. The both of them had run and gotten separated from Fundy; he hadn’t had a ride. He had to walk three hours back to town. Needless to say, he still holds that over their heads.

As he finished stocking, the possible things Techno needed help with crossed his mind. By the time he clocked out, Alex’s overthinking was through the roof, coming up with the worst possible outcomes. As he pulled up to Techno’s apartment complex, he saw a moving truck. Within seconds, without any real evidence, Alex came to the conclusion that Techno was running from the government. He tried to calm his thoughts as he reached Techno’s room, opening it with the spare key he had. “Techno, why are there moving trucks outside?” Without waiting for him to respond he started ranting. “I knew it, you’re running from the government. It was only a matter of time. With all the illegal shit we’ve, mostly you, done,” Alex began pacing around the kitchen area. “Since I’m involved with you, I should run away too, right?” He looked up at Techno who deadpanned at him while Fundy shrugged. “You’re right, I should.” 

While Alex continued ranting, Fundy turned to Techno, “Should we stop him before he starts panicking more?”

“Eh,” Techno responded in his usual monotone voice. After a few more minutes of ranting Techno spoke up again, “Calm down Runt, I’m not running from the government. And if I was, I wouldn't use a moving truck.”

“Wait, so you aren’t? Then what are those moving trucks for?”

“I’m getting a new roommate. They came from Britain and stayed somewhere for a bit before deciding to move here.”

“So you texted me to help you move boxes?”

“Yep, he did,” Fundy replied, finally joining the conversation

“What kind of bull- ugh, okay let’s get this over with.” Moving boxes was excruciating. They were up till 3 AM moving all the boxes from the trucks to the empty bedroom. The bedroom was bleak and untouched by creativity. He felt sorry for the poor sucker who had to share an apartment with Techno. “So, how much do you know about your roommate?” Alex was curious, given the fact that he spent 90 percent of his time at Techno’s he had to know how the new roommate was. If he was cool or a dick, simple as that.

“More than enough.”

“How vague,” Fundy said from across the room laying upside down on the couch.

“You’ll learn more when you meet them.”

“If you say so man.” Alex responded, shrugging.

The next day Alex thought more on the words. Why couldn’t Techno just tell them about his new roommate? Of course the bastard had to be vague as fuck. Always wanting an air of mystery surrounding him. It sure as hell worked sometimes, people mostly stayed away due to his height and voice. As the week dragged on from classes to work shifts with Eret all Alex could think about was his growing curiosity. Then soon it became Friday.

After classes Alex didn’t have work so he decided to stop by Techno’s, that is where he made his first mistake. The drive there was serene. As he rolled up he saw a strange car. He thought nothing of it and headed to Techno’s apartment number, that is where he made his second mistake. He opened the door and called out, “Hello! Techno?” After getting no response he closed and locked the door before venturing onwards. “Techno? Where are you man?” Alex gew a bit anxious, but Techno could take care of himself easily. The thought still didn’t diminish his creeping worries. While on the search he heard the front door bang open, hearing a foregin voice call out, “Hello?” Alex stayed dead silent. “I guess no one is home,” the voice said after a minute of no response. Thoughts swarmed Alex’s mind. He knows for sure that he locked the door and there were only three keys to the apartment. Techno had one, Fundy had another, and he had the last one. So how did this person get in?

The sound of footsteps echoed throughout the apartment. With every step Alex could hear the roaring of his heart beat in his ear as panic grew within his gut. The footsteps got closer and closer to where he was hiding. As the man rounded the corner Alex caught a look at the man's face, he was _hot_. The man caught sight of Alex. “Who the fuck are you?!” Without thinking Alex decked him in the face, that is where he made his third and final mistake. A little crunch could be heard as the man screamed, “What the fuck!” With that being said Alex made a beeline for the door. Bolting from the apartment and making his way down the block.

He stopped after a couple minutes of running. After catching his breath he called Techno. "Techno, I think someone broke into your apartment. I didn't know what to do. I just punched him and ran." After a beat Alex added, "He was kind of cute though."

Techno burst out into laughter. "Hold on, my brother's texting me."

"You have a brother?"

"So you punched the guy in my apartment?" Techno asked, ignoring what Alex had asked him.

"Uh, yeah."

"That was my brother. He was moving in, he's the roommate I've been talking about."

"Oh _shit_ ." Alex had punched a hot guy. That hot guy happened to be Techno's brother. He also happened to be Techno's roommate. He had _punched_ him. And now he would have to see him when going over to Techno's place. God truly hated him. "Oh fuck, oh my god." While in the midst of wallowing in his inner turmoil, Alex didn't hear someone approaching him; they tapped him on the shoulder and as he turned, they clocked him in the face. "Fuck man!" He looked to see who punched him. It was Techno's brother. Alex looked up at him. The man looked down at Alex, his eyes glossed over with a feral look as blood trickled down onto his toothy smile.

"Now we're even."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you want to make fanart or anything you're free to do so, this account has an insta account with the same name (owouwuqwqiwi). The same goes for twitter and tik tok. The twitter will have updates and rants :]
> 
> i have also made a playlist for the fanfic. The songs inspire some parts of the fanfic. 
> 
> here is the link  
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ekoEts0o6f7QaiB67no6M?si=fMkcO8hDRGqwgp3SpzlMzw


	2. Not So Bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> editor: mommyissuesandheroin
> 
> also check out their story, it's called "I Wonder Who It Is"  
> it's basically a traitor au for every pogtopia member, and every work is a different traitor/villain arc. each work will have around 6 chapters :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all fr missing out on my banger tweets, anyways this fanfic is so much fun to write
> 
> remember this is rated mature so be aware of darker themes being more prevalent as time passes
> 
> also stream Learn to Trust by Bad Suns, I mean without that song this fic probably wouldn't exist

Alex couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened last week. The man haunted his dreams, or should he say nightmares? Everytime he thought of that bloody smile, he grew flustered. Who knew he was into bloody noses? Alex didn’t want to think about that; he’d been actively avoiding going to Techno’s ever since that day. He didn’t want to face the man after what happened. As the days passed, Alex could only think about how stupid and irrational he’d been. Techno had told him his roommate was from Britain, so how couldn’t he have connected the dots? While he internally cringed at himself, his phone rang; it was Techno.

**_“Why haven’t you come by?”_ ** The familiar monotone voice rang out, blunt and straight to the point.

**_“I’ve been busy,”_ ** Alex replied, somewhat truthfully. He had been busy binge watching a show and studying for his midterm.

**_“That’s a load of crap and we both know it, now tell me the truth,”_ ** Techno replied sternly. Alex felt like a child being scolded by their father for lying about breaking the vase. Not talking from past experience.

**_“I’ve been avoiding coming over, I’m sorry.”_ **

A long sigh drew from the other side of the line, **_“It’s because of Wilbur isn’t it?”_ **

**_“Wilbur?”_ **

**_“My brother, the one you fucking punched.”_ ** Techno said as if it was the most obvious thing. To be fair, Alex’s mind was wondering.

Heat filled his face, just when he was trying to forget the incident. Alex cleared his throat, **_“Y-yeah.”_ **

**_“Look, I don’t care how awkward things are. Don’t mind him. You are coming over tomorrow night and that’s final. We’re going to watch some crappy horror movie like we always do, and Fundy will get scared of the bad effects.”_ **

With that being said, the phone beeped. Alex was not getting out of this. The thought of seeing the man again made him sick to his stomach. Alex did not do well with confrontation. The thoughts and his anxiety were eating at him from the inside. He rapidly scrolled through his phone, looking for a distraction. His leg bobbed up and down as the pit in his stomach grew. After not finding anything he settled for _Regular Show_ . As the show started, he got up to get water. His hands shook as he brought the glass to his lips. The thoughts of that ma- _Wilbur_ made him anxious. What if he hated him after what happened? He already made a bad first impression on the brit. God, did Alex have a problem with overthinking. 

That night at work, all Alex could think of was the event happening the next day. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh hey Eret, nothings wrong.” He lied, you know like a liar.

“I can tell you’re lying. Can’t you see how much you’re shaking?” They asked concerned for their friends well being.

“Ah I didn’t notice, it’s just nerves.” The pit in his stomach grew again. 

“Don’t make yourself sick; go drink some water. Take a break.” She patted his back softly before heading out.

“Thank you, Eret.”

By nighttime, Alex lied on his back listening to music as he stared at the ceiling. The soft hum of the music calms his nerves while almost bringing him to tears. He needed to stop listening to sad 90s music to calm down. The thoughts of tomorrow's events gave him a sinking feeling. His phone buzzed, startling him out of his thoughts.

  
  


**_Furry_**

Hey, Eret told me you seemed a bit shaken up. Are you okay?

Alex opted to ignore him, the beat of the song filled his thoughts before another buzz rang through the earbuds.

**_Furry_**

Stop listening to Sting and answer me.

**_Pain in my ass_ **

how did you know I was listening to Sting?

**_Furry_**

It’s on your spotify.

**_Pain in my ass_ **

okay stalker

**_Furry_**

Are you okay?

**_Pain in my ass_ **

yeah, just very anxious for tomorrow. I’ll be fine.

**_Furry_**

Okay, don’t think too much about it. Rest up.

**_Pain in my ass_ **

I will, thanks Fundy.

  
  


He wanted to stay away, but he knew he couldn’t avoid going to Techno’s forever. The situation laid heavily on his chest, making him sluggish. He no longer felt anxious, just heavy and numb. Alex fell asleep to the tune of a sinking heart and mind. 

When Alex arrived at Techno’s the next day he felt weighed down. As if an iron ball was chained to his leg, dragging him into the depths of the ocean. He breathed deeply before turning his key in the lock and opening the door. 

“Is that Alex?”

“Yeah.”

Alex could hear Techno and Fundy as he padded through the small hallway to the kitchen, waving his hand in greeting when he saw Techno lounging on the couch in the living room.

“Hey,” a foreign voice called out to him. If you asked him, he would’ve said that he had calmly said hi back. What he actually did was jump and scream, hitting a glass on the counter, and managing to spill water all over the place. He turned; it was Wilbur. He had a band-aid on his nose and a slight bruise. Alex suddenly felt very hot, the heat rising to his cheeks as he felt discomfort in the pit of his stomach. An image of the bloody smile flashed through his mind. 

“Oh um, hi.”

Wilbur chuckled, and Alex mentally photographed it.

“A little birdie told me you’ve been avoiding the place. Is it because of me?” The Brit’s voice was low and hypnotizing.

“N-nope.”

“You don’t need to lie.” Wilbur said, moving closer to Alex’s space. “After all, you’ll be seeing a lot of me.” He winked 

With those words being said, Alex panicked; he could _not_ do this. “I have to get back to Techno and Fundy, I wouldn't want them wondering where I am.” 

Wilbur smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes, and Alex scurried back to the sofa, where he sat down and looked at Techno.

“I-I think your brother just flirted with me.”

Techno scoffed. “Wilbur will flirt with anything that has legs. Don’t pay him any attention.”

Fundy just raised his eyebrows before suggesting that they start the movie. 

Alex huddled up in the blanket that was on the couch and got ready. 

Just as the opening credits rolled by, Wilbur poked his head around the corner of the wall. His eyes traveled over Alex quickly before he cleared his throat and asked, “What’re you guys watching?”

Alex answered without taking his eyes off of the tv, too focused on the intro to the first scene. “Horror movie.  The Midnight Man .”

“I’ve never watched it. Mind if I join?” Wilbur sat next to him, thigh pressed to his, as he took a section of the blanket and draped it over himself, cementing his position next to Alex. 

The first scene played, and as the little boy died, Wilbur decided it was the perfect time to whisper to him. “Such a shame, poor kid never got to experience the high's and lows of high school football.”

Alex snorted a little, trying not to giggle as he kept his eyes glued forward, to no avail. Wilbur just kept trying to make him laugh.

Thirty minutes in, they were laughing and hiccuping softly under the blanket as Fundy sat shaking in the armchair across from them. Wilbur pointed out that his ears had even pressed down a little bit, like the foxes that he loved. 

“He’s kinda like a furry, not gonna lie to you, Wilbur,” Alex squeezed out between hiccups, which caused Wilbur to laugh loudly, Techno shushing him with a finger to his lips. 

“A furry!?” he whispered, trying to keep his amusement in. His eyes shone with tears of laughter. 

“Hey I heard that!” Fundy yelled, snapped out of his terror from the movie. 

Alex and Wilbur dissolved into giggles, shaking with the effort of being quiet.

“Children.” Techno said, rolling his eyes.

The movie went on, Fundy being scared out of his mind, Techno weirdly focused, and Wilbur trying to make Alex laugh. 

The ending of the movie was completely predictable, and Wilbur rolled his eyes. 

“You know,” he whispered. “They would probably sell these more if they actually had an original plot.”

Alex faked offense. “Excuse me, I happened to like the movie!”

Wilbur shrugged in response, muttering something about how it sucks to suck.

Everyone got up, and Techno said Alex could sleep on the air mattress that he kept just for him. He agreed, and went to Wilbur’s room, previously the spare room, to grab it. The sight that greeted him was _not_ what he was expecting. It was covered, absolutely covered, in posters, two guitars sitting in the right corner, and Alex could tell that they had been played a lot. The bed was pushed to the side, almost like an afterthought, and there was a small desk with scattered sheets of music on it. 

Not wanting to intrude, he grabbed the air mattress from its usual spot in the closet, and exited the room, turning around to close the door. As he walked toward the living room, he bumped into something warm, and his eyes went wide as saucers when he saw a shirtless Wilbur standing in front of him. 

“Woah, watch where you’re going, please!” Wilbur slightly raised his voice before realizing it was him. 

“Um, I-I’m sorry…” He was staring. Alex was staring at his best friend’s brother. Without a shirt on. Holy _shit_ , Wilbur was _hot_. 

_What? No. Don’t think about that_. 

He realized that he had said the word “Hot” out loud because Wilbur snickered. He bent down so that his breath brushed the outer shell of Alex’s ear.

“Like what you see?” He asked in a sultry voice, before pushing past Alex and heading into his room.

  
Alex just stood there, reeling, wondering what the fuck was happening and why it felt… _good?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls tell me how you liked this chapter! also i go by they/it, mommyissues calls me bub so you guys can too :)
> 
> the Sting song Alex is listening to is Shape of My Heart :]


	3. when I look at you, oh, i don’t know what’s real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the title of this chapter is from "When You Sleep" by My Bloody Valentine. That song is this reasons song such as Pursuit of Happiness is the other reasons song.
> 
> my editor: mommyissuesandheroin  
> they make my writing legible, my grammar is so poor-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While writing this, I faced a dilemma. I thought that, perhaps my work isn't professional or is too goofy to be seen as anything other than fanfiction. That what I work for is worthless. Then I realized, this is my work, it can be however I want it to be. People may view it as 'trash' or 'not up to standards', but that's on them. They may compare it to Heat Waves, which is a stupid thing to do. Dakota has said they don't want their work to be a comparison for others within the fandom. My work is my joy; there will be goofy parts and serious parts. That's the beauty of life. This story has some of my personal experiences tied in it. I try to make this as realistic as possible. With that being said, I hope you enjoy my work. It may not be the best but it's mine and I love it.
> 
> i do not irl ship, i only ship personas

It was raining and Alex was gloomy. Now don’t get him wrong, Alex loved the rain. He loved the idea of it. The fresh crisp air that entered his lungs and smelled of petrichor. The pitter-patter of rain accompanied by the hum of passing cars reminded him of a childhood memory that never existed. He loved that; it comforted him, but today’s rain wasn't like that. The morning rain turned into a harsh hail. Calm air morphed into howling winds and icy chills. Echoes of thunder could be heard, flashes of light could be seen. Alex loved thunder and lighting, but not like this. The hail pelted Alex as he walked into the Walmart entrance, sighing as the warm air of the store engulfed him. His clothes stuck to him as if they’d been vacuumed sealed. He felt like a wet dog. It was a good thing that he had brought another beanie. For his clothes, he couldn’t say as much. His shoes squeaked on the off-white stained floor as he made way to the break room. 

Alex saw as people grabbed toilet paper, panicking as they grappled for canned goods and frozen food. He shook his head and laughed a bit. People truly don’t know how to act when a storm hit. A vibration in his pants pocket startled him.

**_Slender Man_ **

I called off work today. So you’ll be alone, sorry :((

Great, not only was Alex gloomy and cold but he was alone for the day. He slouched a bit before responding.

**_Small Child_ **

it’s okay, thanks for letting me know

_delivered_

He pocketed his phone and continued on the way. In the breakroom, he switched his sad and soaked beanie for a fresh, warm one, shaking off the excess water clinging to his hair before putting it on. Alex hoped that today’s shift would be relatively easy.

The shift wasn’t easy. He stood at the cash register, watching some old white lady decide which bread to buy and which to put back. The line of customers behind her were very visibly irritated. Alex hated manning the cash register, and although he was hired for that spot he did everything to avoid actually using the damn machine. He would rather spend his time in customer service or restocking the shelves. He huffed as he scanned the loaf of bread, thunder roaring from the storm. The sound of hail hitting the store became louder. 

“Hey Alexis!”

Alex huffed once again. His annoying manager, always calling him by his full name instead of Alex. “Yes.”

“I need you to help in customer service.”

Alex internally cheered as he walked towards the back of the store. A little pep in his step. As he walked back he observed the people again. Seeing children running amok, playing with toys that hadn’t been purchased yet. A group of teens doing their ‘small town’ shit, messing around and laughing at the content on their phone. Some preppy kids, some alt kids. Though the alt kids did smile and wave a bit at him after catching sight of his docs. They were yellow and purple laced. 

Despite the panic of the storm, not many people came to customer service. In the four hours he’d been at the area a total of eight people had come and went. Alex stood at the counter sucking on a jolly rancher lollipop. He was glad that he had brought it. The dye turned his lips an artificial red. He bobbed his head a bit to the song playing on the radio next to him. The station played all iconic oldies. “And how she was when she was beautiful,” Alex sang along. “She signed the letter-”

“All yours. Babooshka, babooshka, babooshka ya, ya.” Niki’s voice rang out from the back. She was one of his favorite coworkers. Second to Eret of course, if they found Alex saying Niki was better they would smite him with the power of a thousand burning suns. Niki was getting a product for a customer. They asked her to ‘check the back’. Alex hated when customers said that; there is literally nothing in the back. 

“Excuse me _Alexis_?” A voice rang out. Goddamn it, his peace was gone and replaced with an old lady. Alex painted on a fake smile as the lady walked up to the counter.

“How may I assist you ma’am?” She studied him through her tiny framed glasses that sat perched on the end of her nose. 

“You seem too young to be pregnant.”

He stood shell shocked, what did she say??? “Uh-” His response was drowned out by choking laughter coming from Niki. She cackled, holding her stomach as she tried to inhale. 

“I-I can’t-” She couldn’t get out the sentence. After a while her wheezing died down. “Okay, okay I’m good.”

“Remember to always use protection, dear.” The old lady said with a cheerful tone.

“No I’m not.” Is all Niki said before dying in laughter once again.

Alex tried to block her out. “Um, I-I uh- okay.”

The woman put a box on the counter. “I would like to know if you had another one of these in stock.”

“I’m not sure.”

“Can you check the back?”

He sighed before responding. “Yes I can.” He walked off towards the back grumbling. Stupid old people, they say the most outtapocket shit yet somehow people trust them. He walked into the back room and just stood there looking at his phone. There’s no point in checking if it isn’t here. A realization hit him, his name and his face. The old bat with her poor eyesight thought he was a girl. He dragged his hand on his face as he groaned. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. After about twenty minutes he walked back out, rolling the lollipop in his mouth.

“Sorry, I couldn’t find it.” Alex said, feigning an apologetic tone.

“Could you perhaps check the store?”

He breathed in deeply, mildly annoyed. “Of course.” He made his way from behind the counter and walked towards the aisles. Passing frantic people and sticky little kids. As he walked past the cash register someone called out to him. 

“Hey Alex? We have a situation and we need help.”

Alex was so close to snapping. Can’t people just leave him alone? He turned and followed his coworker to a man that was causing a commotion. 

“Hey dude, just lemme get the liquor.”

“What’s the problem?” Alex asked.

“He won’t lemme get alcohol.” 

Alex moved around to behind the counter. The man passed him the ID and he was internally seething. “Your ID is expired. We can’t sell you alcohol with an expired ID.”

“But it’s still me. Just sell me the shit.”

Alex wanted to scream. “Sir we can’t-”

“Is it ‘cause I’m Latino?” The man said angrily.

Alex just stood there with a blank face. He then turned to his coworker. “You’re on your own, bye.” He then left and ignored their calls. Alex turned down the refrigerator aisle on the way back to customer service. While walking down the aisle he saw a man that looked no older than him with honey hair and a sweater made up of purple’s, green’s and blue’s. As he got closer he saw that the man was stuffing Monsters down his pants. He sighed loudly causing the man to look at him. He looked startled and Alex was completely done. 

Alex popped the lollipop out of his mouth before quickly putting it back in, not missing the way the man’s eyes followed the movement. “I’m so fucking done. Take it, I truly don’t give a fuck at this point. They don’t pay me enough for this shit.” Alex groaned and walked past the dumbstruck man. 

“I-” the man said, but Alex was already gone.

“What’s wrong?” Niki questioned as Alex stormed through the area. 

“I’m going home.”

“But your shift isn’t over-”

“I do not care. Tell the manager I got sick or some shit. I cannot handle today.”

**_Small Child_ **

never leave me alone again, not for a million years.

**_Slender Man_ **

What happened at work?

**_Small Child_ **

too much

_delivered_

Alex laid in his bed, the storm serving as background noise as he tried to process what the fuck happened today. And if he thought about how cute the man stealing Monsters was then that’s no one’s business but his.

But God did he hate working at Walmart sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM!! KARL INTRODUCTION!!
> 
> here is the link for the fanfic playlist!! in case you couldn't find it before
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ekoEts0o6f7QaiB67no6M?si=-tXAGqxeRhyyHSY7sAetjw
> 
> and yes the old lady pregnant thing happened to me-  
> the latino thing happened to my friend (it was a weird day)
> 
> tell me how you guys like the chapter!!
> 
> p.s. i made a dream smp heathers au titled "I'm Gonna Tell My Therapist On You", pls check it out! (you don't have to though-)


	4. Monster Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CW: telling someone to kill themselves (in a joking manner)
> 
> my editor: mommyissuesandheroin <3 *kith*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have a forensic project coming up so this may be the last chapter for a week or two, maybe there'll be a chapter on valentines day ;) idk yet-
> 
> but i hope you guys enjoy this chapter!!

Alex stood behind the counter at customer service. Today was the complete opposite of the weather from his last shift. The blazing sun could be felt inside the store, coating everyone with a layer of exhaustion and slight burns. It left discomfort and agitation in its wake, this Sun. It was unforgiving. If praying for forgiveness could stop this never-ending agony, Alex would be on his knees in front of an altar, asking for mercy upon feeble humans and their bodies. Humans were not built to take this sultry weather. Perhaps a god would hear his begging, but for now, he remained mute as everyone suffered the blaze. All of the staff were holding tiny fans and drinking freezing cold drinks, seeking some cool comfort in this heatwave. Alex stood listening as Eret wheezed. He saw as the taller doubled over from laughter, deflating like a balloon while Niki retold what happened at Alex’s last shift. Her hands moved in a fast, animated like motion. She acted like the hand movement had to be incorporated into the storytelling or else it would be unsatisfactory.

“And then- and then- and then the lady told him, ‘Remember to always use protection, dear’.” Niki squealed out, gasping between words as she threw her head back in laughter. 

Eret clutched his stomach as he got lower to the ground, laughing more than he was breathing. “I can’t fucking breathe-” His words came out slurred as he wheezed. “My stomach hurts, fuck.” He continued to laugh, laying on the off-white floor at this point.

“You’re never gonna let me live this down, are you?” Alex asked as he rested his head in his hands. Accepting his fate.

“Nope.” Niki responded cheekily, popping the ‘p’.

Alex sighed and swiped at the sweat forming at his brow. The heat was starting to get to him. Curse this rusty establishment and their poor air conditioning.

“If you’re hot, take off the beanie,” Sam said as he walked up to the counter, staring at Eret who laid on the floor clutching their stomach. “I’m not even gonna ask.” He was somewhat of a father figure to Alex, often scolding Alex for doing dumb shit or worrying for his safety. His mind flashed back to that one time he had climbed up the compartments so he could watch everyone like a hawk, only to nearly fall and give Sam an (almost) heart attack. For that reason actually, he was banned from Costco. Who knew climbing on their grates was a ban-worthy thing.

“Have you ever seen Alex without a beanie on? Exactly. He would never take it off,” Ponk said as he walked beside Sam. Those two were like two peas in a pod; one is never seen without the other. Alex didn’t have much of an opinion on soulmates, but if he did, he would say these two were platonic soulmates for sure

“I think he was born with one on,” Eret said, snickering when Alex glared at them. Their shoulders shook with each intake of breath.

“I am never taking this beanie off, worry about yourself. Also, why are you all back here? Not you two.” He said as Niki and Eret were about to talk. Niki was hired for customer service and Eret was a customer service manager. Sam and Ponk worked the loading dock. 

“Don’t worry about it kiddo,” Ponk said as he came up and ruffled Alex’s head, moving his sweat-soaked beanie to cover his line of vision. He cringed at the wet feeling the beanie left behind as it moved.

“Hey! I’m not a kid.” He grumbled as he fixed his beanie. Looking into his phone to fix how his hair laid beneath the garment and the little hair poking out, he stuck out his tongue as he focused on fixing his appearance. 

“But you are short like one.” 

“First of all, kill yourself. Second of all, not everyone is a tall giant like you. Shrink, tall man.”

“Ouch, kiddo has fangs,” Sam said as he poked Alex’s side. The younger squirmed away at the touch. 

“I will bite you.” He glared at Sam, who laughed awkwardly and shifted away. He didn’t doubt for a second that the younger man would bite him. Alex did the biting motion, just to further demonstrate the seriousness of his threat.

“Calm down, here take some gum.”

Alex snatched the gum from Niki, mildly upset that she laughed over the “short” jokes. She shouldn't be laughing with her 5’6” self. But, he can’t be mad at Niki for long. She’s too sweet to stay mad at. All of her jokes were in good nature.

So he sat there and angrily chewed on the gum until it lost its flavor. Feeling more like rubbery nothing than watermelon gum. At times, Alex wished he worked at some fast food joint instead of this sad, dingy store. They seemed more fun to work at on tv. Then again the whole plot of Good Burger isn’t very realistic. Still, flipping burgers and getting free food seems more fun than dealing with idiotic customers and shoplifting. But retail is retail, he’d still be working behind a counter being paid minimum wage. All in the life of a young college student. 

The sound of scanners beeping and chatter filled Alex’s ears. Rickety shopping carts and the garbled mess of baby talk filled the air. He watched little kids run around and tackled each other. Spilling over the gates, the rubber bouncy balls flew in every direction. Another day of work, another case of colossal damage to clean up. Good thing he was working customer service and not the floor. For once the poor sucker suffering the consequences of rowdy customers wasn’t him. Though just sitting was awfully boring. 

Alex waited, for what, he didn’t know. Wanting to be left alone but needing something to be occupied with was a hassle. So he stood up, being hunched over a counter for hours was quite draining. He checked his phone and signed in relief. For once the tiny metal box he carried around brought good news. “Goodbye ladies, gentlemen, Eret. It is now my breaktime. Fuck all of you.” Alex responded, smirking as he walked away flipping them off. Blowing a birdie as you might say. 

He walked to the breakroom and clocked out, watching the other employees pick up the rubber balls along the way. As Alex walked to the entrance he caught sight of a familiar figure; going down the aisle, he realized who it was. It was Monster Energy boy, now sporting a frogged sweater instead of the mixed cool colored sweater. He leaned against the aisle, watching as the taller man drank from a can and scanned the contents of the shelf. Alex smiled internally as he thought of a one-liner.

“Is that a Monster can in your pants or are you happy to see me?” He asked, popping the rubbery gum as he watched the taller man face him. It annoyed Alex that the new people he’s met have been taller than him. The man’s face was a bit flushed, from either the weather or his comment he didn’t know. Perhaps it was both. After getting no response Alex spoke up. “Stealing Monsters again?” Gesturing towards the Monster in the man's hand.

He stammered a bit. “Ah- well, no.”

“Hmm.” Alex hummed in acknowledgment as his eyes skimmed over the man. He saw as the taller grew red again. “So, what were the cans for? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“A big project of mine for my film class.” He shook the can in his hand.

“Ah, why didn’t you buy them?”

“I’m a college student. That should speak for itself.” 

Alex laughed a bit before blowing another bubble. “You should be thankful it was me who caught you and not someone else. I don’t really care when people steal. Not my job to chase them.”

“So you didn’t rat me out?”

“Of course not.”

“Thank you-” The man said as he squinted at Alex’s name tag. “Alexis.”

Alex looked down at his shirt, realizing he forgot to take the name tag off. He looked back up at the man standing before him. Somehow Alex didn’t hate his name when it came from him, it just sounded _right_ on his tongue. “People call me Alex.”

“Oh uh, I’m Karl, with a K.” Karl said, sticking out his hand.

“Karl, hmm. I’ve never seen it spelled with a K.” Alex took the hand and shook it, immediately cringing as their sweaty palms met. Maybe he should’ve whipped off his hand before the shake.

“Well, I’m not like other Carls.” The taller man said in a teasing tone. Alex chuckled at the joke.

“I can see.” He didn’t know what else to say. So many topics but all seem too much for a person you’ve just met. So they stood there, awkwardly holding hands at this point and staring at each other. He saw as Karl’s eyes moved to his lip and back to his eyes, flickering a bit between the two. Alex watched as the taller man snapped out of his daze and took his hand back, awkwardly chuckling.

“So...” Karl started out.

“So...” Alex repeated. “This is very awkward, sorry about that-”

“Oh no, it’s fine.” The taller man’s comment held reassurance. That alone stopped Alex from shying away. At this point, his thoughts would’ve convinced him how stupid talking to the other man was and how he was just annoying him. Though Karl seemed comforting, Alex knew to never judge a book by its cover. In his mind, he prayed for someone to save him from the awkward situation he’d gotten himself into.

“Oh, who is this?” A voice rang out. Alex turned to see Eret smirking at him and Niki wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. 

“He’s-”

“I’m Karl.” The taller man interrupted Alex.

“Mhm.” Eret looked over Karl’s shoulder to Alex and said, “Don’t forget to use protection.”

“W-What?” Karl stammered out as Alex began yelling. 

“Ignore them!” Eret and Niki walked away cackling as Alex’s face began to glow red, his ears burning. He could feel the heat rolling off of him. The one time his wishes came true, it had to be this. Why wouldn’t it have been the free ice cream? He wished it were the free ice cream. If you asked Alex why he was red, he would say the blazing sun was making him flush. That was a lie. 

“So... protection, huh?” Karl smirked at the younger man.

“I-It’s a long story.” Alex felt embarrassed, how the tables had turned.

“Well, I’d love to hear it,” Karl said as a warm smile painted his face. 

“Maybe another time.” Although it was very nice to talk to Karl, Alex was on break. The break meant peacetime and food. Specifically, Shake Shack. He could picture the chicken sandwich meal in his mind. 

“So what I’m hearing is, I’ll get to see you again?” The man’s eyes shone.

“If you’re lucky. I normally work from 3pm to 10 pm.” 

“I’ll be sure to say hi whenever I stop by.”

Alex nodded in acknowledgment, feeling like the conversation was over. “See you around, Karl,” Alex smirked before turning on his heel and walking away. Happy at the fact he’d got the last word in.

“Wait! Alex.” 

Or so he thought.

“Don’t cover your scar, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.” The taller man said softly, seeming to fear he had overstepped a boundary.

His scar? Alex brought out his phone and, _oh_. The makeup had rubbed off due to his sweat and showcased the scar on his lip. “How’d you-?” He was baffled.

“It wasn’t there the last time I saw you. So I figured you must cover it with something. Plus your tooth.”

Alex ran his tongue along the chipped tooth before huffing a little. “You’re a smart guy _Karlos_.”

“Well, I sure would hope so, _Alexis_.” The playful grin adorning his face.

Alex’s heart raced at how Karl pronounced his name. He hoped it wouldn’t awaken anything in him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you all enjoyed the chapter!!
> 
> get some rest you little gremlins <3
> 
> other news! me and mommy issues have a joint email, mommyissuesandbub@gmail.com, send some questions if you have any or anything else :]
> 
> (also i listened to the friday night funkin' soundtrack while writing this chapter. Fresh, South, Blammed, and M.I.L.F are all the best tracks.)


	5. Intrusive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: suicidal ideations, suicidal thoughts, piercings, tattoos, descriptions of body modification
> 
> my editor: mommyissuesandheroin (ily <3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! this chapter is a bit more raw and Alex centric, i hope you enjoy it :]

Alex looked at his social media, pictures of friends and himself littering his page. He wanted so badly to delete everything and remove the app. Remove everything. To erase that he ever existed. He had a deep need to disappear. To leave no trace of himself. He felt the tears welling up in his eyes but forbade them to spill. People didn’t need to know him. He wanted to break his phone and run away. He wanted to leave the town. Alex turned off his phone and stared at the ceiling. Stopping himself before doing something stupid. Every once in a while he would feel the need to just get rid of everything. He exhaled shakily before going back on his phone. Still having the same nagging feeling in the back of his head. Whispering for him to do it, to just say fuck it. He turned on some slow song, trying to calm his mind. He quietly sang the lyrics as he wished his bed swallowed him whole.

“Oh well, don't need, someone to make me great.” He threw an arm over his eyes. “Oh well, don't need. In and out again, it was the best I ever had.” He rolled over on his side and squeezed his pillow. “In and out again, my life's growing so sad.” 

Alex listened to the rest of the song play out, daydreaming as it looped. Checking his phone only to see it say 3:00 am. Fuck, he had classes the next day. Technically that day. He closed his eyes, desperately trying to get some sleep. The grandfather clock from down the hall clicked and clicked. That is all Alex heard, the clicking of the clock. It rattled inside his head, annoying him to no end. The clicking sounded identical to that of a heartbeat. Alex tossed and turned, taking a pillow and covering his ears. The efforts did nothing to dampen the sound. It was as if Edgar Allen Poe wrote the night, the old man’s heart embodied in the form of the clock. Driving him insane with every pulse, the sound had taken homage in his mind. Alex sat up in bed, dragging his hand on his face and sighing in defeat. He knew he wasn’t going to get much sleep, so he closed his eyes and tried to at least rest. He wished he wasted away as the song continued looping. 

Alex groaned as he opened his eyes, when did he fall asleep? He groggily moved around the comforter, looking for his phone. He heard something hit the floor, he reached down to grab his phone. It was a little cold and, oh. Alex did a double-take, the time read 8:45 am, he was late for class. He bolted up and tripped over the pile of clothes that have taken space on his floor. The clothes spread out and Alex grabbed whatever seemed to match. He ran for the restroom and took a quick shower. Brushing his teeth as he dried his hair, throwing on a beanie, and running out the door. Only to forget his shoes, he ran back and grabbed them along with his keys. He tapped the dashboard of his car as he waited for it to warm up. “C’mon please, hurry up.” He pleaded. As soon as it finished he pulled out and drove to the university. 

He pulled up and parked, grabbing his things and running towards the lecture hall. The wind nipped at his face as he ran. Keeping a hand on his beanie so it wouldn’t come off. He made it to the door of his class and bent over, trying to catch his breath from the running. He looked inside and saw the students and the professor. Alex checked the time again, seeing that there were only about five minutes left he opted not to go to class and instead go to the library. Fundy was sure to be there. The walk was peaceful, you could see the flowers in the grass and the tiny birds flying around. A stark contrast to the run for the hall. Alex pushed open the library doors and made his way towards the computers. He saw Fundy’s hunched figure, fingers typing away rapidly as he worked on code. 

“What the fuck. I’m sure it’s right, why isn’t it working.” He heard Fundy mutter to himself. The redhead studied the screen in front of him, so close it looked as if he would kiss it. 

“Did you end every line with a semicolon?” Alex asked as he plopped himself at the computer next to Fundy. He booted up the computer and waited. “What?” He asked after getting no response.

“You look like shit man.” The redhead stated bluntly.

“Wow, gee thanks.” He rolled his eyes and logged onto the computer. “I fell asleep at about 4 am and missed my lecture.”

“I thought I was supposed to be the sleep-deprived one.”

“You are, just not today.” Alex immediately went onto cool math games. Searching through the games until settling on Snake. As he played the nagging feeling came back, humming lowly in the back of his mind. Tuning out the coder next to him completely.

“Are you okay?” He ran into a wall, the ‘game over’ screen popping up.

“Ugh man, you made me lose. And to answer your question, yes no maybe so.” He replied shrugging and chose another game. Papa’s Pizzeria.

“Just know I’m here for you.”

“Me too,” Alex replied disinterested, not wanting to talk about his feelings.

“You are the coolest person I know Alex. Always saying the funniest things at the right times. You listen to my problems and put up with Techno and I’s bullshit. You’re so-”

“Shut up, don’t make me cry in the school library you fuck.” There was a lump in his throat. He tried to play it off by coughing. “You’re such a good friend Fundy. You and Techno and Eret, fuck I don’t deserve you guys.”

“Don’t say that, of course, you do.” Fundy nudged his arm. Alex nudged back. This caused them to start pushing each other, laughing loudly as the poor librarian yelled at them to stop.

“But you promise to tell us if somethings up, right?”

“Of course.” He wouldn’t.

“You’re okay though, right?”

“I am, I promise.” He wasn’t.

The week passed in a breeze, the nagging still taking up space in his mind. Slowly growing bigger with time. Eating at his thoughts and ideas, until it’s all that remained. Alex found himself standing in the restroom looking at the mirror. Analyzing his figure, his features, his style. Looking at the bags under his eyes and the beauty marks littering his face. The tiny barely noticeable freckles under his eyes and the scar going through his lip. He opened his mouth and looked at his teeth, looking at the chipped one and his tongue. He was too plain, nothing about him was remarkable. All he had was that ugly scar. He wanted to stand out, all he wanted was to stand out. He took a sigh and continued to look at himself.

He needed change. Alex wanted to change. To just change his style or dye his hair. He desperately wanted to just change himself completely. And he knew exactly how. He got up, put on his docs, threw on his beanie, and grabbed his jacket and keys before heading out. The drive around was peaceful, the slightly chilly air was comforting. The radio signals played the same mush, and Alex tuned it out for the most part. Only lit by the occasional light, the streets stayed dim. The soft rumble of the engine calmed his thoughts a bit. 

“Hey, do you guys take walk-in piercings?” Alex asked the woman in the front as he walked into the shop. She had pink dyed hair and dark makeup. Piercings littered her ears and tattoos covered her arms.

He saw as she stood; she was taller than he was expecting. “Normally no, but since there are no bookings at this hour, yes.” She had a thick Irish accent. “I’m Minx and I’ll be helping you today. What do you want?”

While he was there he might as well go all in, fully send it. “Oh uh, I’m Alex. I want my lobes, septum, and tongue.”

She nodded, “Follow me.” He trailed after her as she led him down the hall. The walls were covered in artwork, some pictures of bands, and graffiti sights. They come to a room with the name ‘MINX’ in bold on it. Alex saw the pictures of piercings and tattoos on the wall. In the middle of the room was a leather chair and a tiny station next to it. 

“Do you only do piercings?” Alex sat on the chair, watching as the tattoo clad woman moved around the station, grabbing different types of needles, jewelry, and sterilizing materials. “No, I also do tattoos. The pictures on the wall are of my work.” He hummed in acknowledgment as she sterilized the needles and her station before pulling on gloves. She brought up a tiny green marker and uncapped it. “Take off your beanie and hold back your hair.”

He hesitated before following her instructions, feeling exposed, as his beanie was off. He waited as he felt her disinfect and mark the spots on his ears. Minx stood back and scoped him out. “Those look even. Okay, I’m going to start with your left ear.” The cold rubbery hands held onto his ear. His heart was racing, he was really going to do this. “Breathe in, and out.” Alex took a deep breath in, as he released it the needle went through his ear. There was a slight pinch but it wasn’t as bad as he was expecting. Minx replaced the needle with a stud. The second ear was easier than the first since Alex knew what was in store. After the second ear was finished the cold leather chair was laid back. The light blinded him for a moment. “I’m going to mark your septum now.”

She brought the disinfectant up to his nose and cleaned it. The burning smell of alcohol was so strong he could taste it. His nose tickled as she marked the inside. Trying not to sneeze was a challenge, the sensation in his mouth already made him want to cough. His heart began thumping again, the fear of this consuming him slowly. The lobes were one thing but a septum is a scarier concept. The needle went through the sweet spot Minx had marked. The sensation made Alex’s eyes water, making him cough. 

“You just fucking coughed in my mouth,” Minx said as she hooked the piece on the end of the needle.

“I’m sorry.” His ears burned with embarrassment. He winced as the needle pulled back through and was replaced by silver jewelry.

“If I had a nickel every time someone coughed into my mouth when piercing their septum I’d have two. Which isn’t a lot but, strangely, it happened twice.” The pink-haired woman said, smirking. Alex laughed at the joke, feeling less embarrassed. 

“Okay, time for your tongue.” He watched as Minx put on a fresh pair of gloves and gathered the materials. She came back to him and motioned for him to stick out his tongue. Alex held out his tongue and she cleaned it with a disinfecting wipe. She used a marker to mark where the piercing would go. The air in the room made his tongue cold. Alex could hear his heartbeat in his head, his leg bounced in anticipation as she clamped his tongue with the holder. He saw as the needle was brought to his tongue, feeling it touch the underside of the muscle. “Relax, take a deep breath.” He breathed in and as he breathed out the needle went through. 

“Fuck!” The word was muffled due to his tongue being out. The sensation of being pierced felt as if he bit his tongue. His mouth started salivating. Minx took a large bar and put it at the top of the needle, pulling back through as the cold jewelry replaced it. Alex was drooling at this point. The pink-haired woman screwed on the lower ball before walking away. Coming back with a mirror and a napkin. She handed them both to him. 

Alex wiped his mouth and admired his piercings, lifting his tongue up and down to get a good look. He moved his head to the left and right, checking out the lobe piercings. Finally, he checked the septum, seeing how it complimented his nose. Excitement buzzed within him; he loved his new look. He felt different, but a good kind of different. The way you feel after you get new glasses or after a haircut that boosts your confidence. The person looking at him in the mirror wasn’t the person he knew, and he loved it. Alex hopped out of the chair and followed Minx back to the front.

“For your tongue piercing, rinse it after every meal or snack and before bed. Use warm salt water or an antibacterial, alcohol-free mouthwash. Do not kiss anyone while you heal. After healing and swelling, you can change out the larger bar for a shorter bar. For the septum, clean it using sea-salt water and a saline rinse spray, clean it twice a day.” She put the spray on the counter before continuing. “And for your lobes use rubbing alcohol. Dab the piercing and area, do not wipe. Clean the lobes after waking up and before bed. Be mindful of your hair and hats, do not let anything that will infect it touch it.”

Alex nodded as he paid for the piercings and solution. Looking at their business card before taking it. “Thank you, Minx.”

“No problem Alex.”

He left the shop feeling euphoric.

Sleep came easier to him that night. The ear piercings were a bit hard to sleep with but he would manage. Any pain they brought would be worth it.

Alex walked into work the next week, a little self-conscious. Facial piercings were bound to get stares but to his surprise, there weren’t many. People were just snobby about them. He kept his head down as people watched him. He could feel the gazes of disapproving moms judging him. Just buzzing to go and tell their friends about the freak they saw. How a person with those piercings shouldn’t have a job. It’s hard when you want to stand out but hate being the center of attention.

“Holy shit!”

Speaking of standing out. Alex rolled his eyes at the exclamation. Seeing as Eret and Niki were staring at him, their mouths hanging open. “You might wanna close your mouths before you catch a fly,” Alex snickered as they started sputtering. 

“Your, your, your-” Niki was stuttering out, trying to find the right words.

“You got piercings!?” Eret gasped, you could practically see the sparkles in his eyes. “They’re so cool, when did you get them done?”

“Last week,” Alex said as he threw on the work vest and nametag.

“Woah hold up, open your mouth,” Niki said sternly.

Alex stuck out his tongue and watched their reactions. Niki’s face morphed into disbelief as Eret’s visible excitement grew.

“You got a tongue piercing too!” Niki gasped out, taking a closer look to study it.

“Yep, and I look hot as fuck.” It wasn’t really a lie, Alex felt hotter but after he said the comment doubt crept up.

“I second that statement!” Eret said, beaming as Alex and Niki laughed.

“So tongue piercing, that means no kissing for you until it’s healed,” Niki practically scolded Alex.

“Yeah, no kissing,” Eret repeated like a bird. “That means you can’t kiss Karl.” He teased out.

Alex flushed a bit. “I have never kissed Karl.” Alex thought more about his piercings, would Karl mind them? He seemed to be a softer boy, he hoped the piercings wouldn’t change his opinion on Alex. And Wilbur, he hoped Wilbur liked them. Wilbur is his best friend's older brother, although he hasn’t seen him recently it felt like his opinion mattered. Would it be weird to say he missed Wilbur? He barely knew the man but something about him drew him in. The bloody smile still took up space in his mind.

The shift was relatively calm, save for a couple of Karens who complained about him having facial piercings. He hated them. He could hear the mutters of “never do that to your face” whispered to their young children, but he sighed and got through the day with a smile plastered on his face.

Driving home after work, a song started playing, the beat immediately recognizable, and a feeling of complete loneliness filled him. He would normally listen to the song with Eret or Niki, sometimes calling Techno just so they could sing it together. The fact that he was by himself had never been so apparent. 

The progression of the song started, and he sang along, more speaking than actual singing. 

“Can you hear the silence?”

The beat vibrated through his ears, and his fingers trembled on the steering wheel.

“Can you see the dark?”

What would happen if he just jerked the wheel? 

“Can you fix the broken?”

His eyes darted to the side, where he knew he could just spin the car. Turn the wheel and never look back.

“Can you feel my he-”

Alex’s ringtone started playing, shaking him out of his trancelike state. A quick glance told him it was Techno, and he picked it up with a sigh.

“Hey, Tech.” Alex braced himself for the onslaught of questions sure to come but instead received cold silence. “Techno?”

“Where the fuck have you been?” came the reply, filled with anger. 

“I’ve been busy, dude, I’m really sorry-”

“I called you 47 times. 47 fucking times, Alex. Don’t pull the ‘I’ve been busy’ bullshit on me.”

Had it really been that many? Alex pulled over and checked his phone. Right there at the top of the screen. 

_47 missed calls from_ **_Peppa_ ** _._

“Tech, I’m so sorry. I got my piercings last week and then I’ve had classes all week. I’ve been feeling really disconnected from reality. I shouldn’t have ignored you, but my phone’s been on silent, and I’m so, so sorry that I ghosted you.”

Nothing.

“You still there, Techno?”

“You got piercings?!” The outburst came out of nowhere, the normally monotone voice pitching up a couple octaves.

Alex giggled. “Yeah, um, I’m driving right now, but when I get home, you wanna FaceTime?”

“For sure, man. You better call me, though. And stop listening to sad music. I can see your Spotify.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Alex laughed again. “Whatever.”

After hanging up, the drive home was somewhat positive.

“Out of everyone I never expected you to be the one to get piercings.” Techno said as he stared at Alex through the screen. Only the upper half of the pink haired man’s face visible.

“Neither did I, it just kind of happened.” He shrugged and stared at the business card from the shop.

They spent the hour catching up on events. Alex mentioned Karl and Techno immediately started teasing him. “Moving on from Wilbur, already?”

“I never-”

“You’re collecting bitches like honey to a bee.” 

The monotone voice made Alex burst into laughter. How the man said it made the comment way funnier than it needed to be. They continued talking and the pink haired man mentioned Wilbur. “He won’t stop asking about you.”

He blushed, “Stop lying.” 

“It’s not a lie, the poor guy is always lazing around. Waiting for you to stop by.”

Alex laughed a bit, not really sure how to respond. “How about this, tell him I’ll see him soon. I’m just very busy now.”

“Hmm alright. Also it’s Valentine's Day in three days. You have a date?”

“Nope, do you?”

“Not unless you count my love for literature.”

”You’re such a nerd.” Alex said, shaking his head, until he had a brilliant idea. “Let’s go to Chuck E. Cheese then. Me, you, and Fundy.”

“Ehh.” Techno said, dragging out the sound.

“It’ll be fun! Plus I’ve been itching to play Guitar Hero.”

He heard a sigh from the line, only seeing the ceiling instead of Techno’s face now. “Alright.”

He whooped a little, “Great! Call you later.”

“You promise?” The tone left no room for argument.

“Promise.” He waved and the line went dead. Alex picked up the forgotten business card and the itch was back. He dialed the number. “Hello? I would like to book a tattoo appointment.”

Alex sat down in the familiar leather chair, still as cold as ever. He wiggled in the spot, trying to find a comfortable position. Fuck, he was really going to do this. Niki would kill him, hell Sam would kill him once he found out. He felt as Minx shaved the peach fuzz on his lower back. The gloves touched his back and startled him a bit. She placed the stencil on his back and peeled off the paper. The sound of blood rushing filled his ears. He was getting a fucking tramp stamp, he couldn’t believe it. He tried to stay still. His heart sank a bit at the buzzing sound of the tattoo gun. 

“Alright, here we go.”

The sensation was quite literally that of pins and needles. It hurt less than he thought it would. It took just an hour and a half before he was up again, checking out the tattoo in the long mirror located in the room. The ink complimented his waist and brought attention to the dimple in his back. Alex never felt more hot in his life. He was jumping at the seams in excitement. He felt whole, in some weird sense.

“Okay get back over here.” The pink haired woman said.

Alex sat back down in the chair and let her wrap the fresh tattoo. They then excited the room and went back to the front.

“Gently wash the tattoo with antimicrobial soap and water and be sure to pat dry. Apply a layer of antibacterial/vaseline ointment twice a day, but don't put on another bandage. Gently wash your tattoo area twice a day with soap and water and gently pat dry before reapplying the antibacterial/vaseline ointment.”

Alex nodded at the instructions as he paid, feeling a strange sense of deja vu.

He went home and belly flopped onto his bed, exhausted.

Alex was back on Instagram, looking at his profile. Scrolling through the photos of friends and videos of concerts. The face smiling through the screen seemed so unreal. It was like looking at a dead person. That he didn’t exist anymore. He opened a browser and typed in the Instagram website. He went to his page and clicked ‘edit profile.’ Scrolling down to the ‘deactivate account’ box. He clicked on it and came to another page. There he entered his password and clicked enter. ‘Are you sure?’ popped up and he paused. A lump in his throat formed as he took a shaky breath. Tears welled up and a couple spilled, he quickly wiped them away and clicked ‘yes.’ He set down his phone and stared at the ceiling.

Alex did it, he fucking did it. He may have cried just a little, but it hurt a lot. It was ok, though. He was getting used to pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> i'm trying to update and push out chapters, though class is being a big deal at the moment
> 
> stay safe guys!! drink water :0
> 
> (i hope this chapter made you sad and cry, or at least sad. that was the point <3)


	6. i seem to think with my heart that my brains gonna start as it hides in the corner of your room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex feels happy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the title of this chapter is from "Teether" by Ultra Q
> 
> my editor: mommyissuesandheroin <3

The Chuck E. Cheese was filled to the brim, kids running around everywhere as adults tried to keep up with them. The sounds of talking and arcade games filled Alex’s ears. The funky patterned carpet had a slightly sticky feeling wherever he walked. The air smelled of stale pizza. He internally gagged whenever he saw a happy couple, flipping them off inside his head. The place was unusually cold, the tips of his fingers paler than the rest of his hand. He shivered a bit before bringing his jacket closer to himself, if closer was even possible, cringing at how the fabric ran over his still somewhat fresh tattoo. He clanked the bar in his tongue on the roof of his mouth, a habit he had developed. Tugging at his beanie, a little looser than he liked due to the piercings healing, Alex continued onward.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit strange that a couple 20 year olds are inside a kids establishment?” Techno’s voice held no emotion.

“Well when you put it like that...” Alex grumbled out, trailing off and letting Techno fill in the blanks of what he meant. He grimaced as he saw sticky little kids touch game machines. Kids were like little germ carriers. Don’t get him wrong, kids were adorable, in a sense. But he would rather avoid them, depending on the child. 

“But hey, wouldn’t you rather be here instead of you watching Golden Girls for the tenth time?” He asked as the pink haired man shook his head.

“No I prefer Golden Girls, Dorthy gets me.” Techno replied as he pushed his glasses up.

“Okay old lady.”

“Why couldn’t we have gone to an arcade?” Fundy whined, dragging his feet. He puffed out his cheeks as if he was a pouting child.

“Because this is the only place near us that has Guitar Hero. I wanna play it, now go get the pizza.” Alex jerked his thumb towards the counter. There was a line of squirmy kids, waiting for the cashier to ring up their tickets and collect prizes. Fundy groaned loudly before trudging off.

“Okay pinky, come with me to get coins.”

“Don’t call me pinky.”

“Would you rather I call you Peppa?” Alex raised his eyebrow when he got no response

They walked to the machine and exchanged a $20 bill for some coins. It would last a while, he was only there to play guitar hero. After getting the coins they walked throughout the place, seeing the animatronics up on stage. They stood there, unmoving and with the lights off. The scene was quite disturbing, and reminded Alex of a certain game. He shook off the thought as they continued.

Weaving through the groups of teenagers and kids Alex caught sight of the Guitar Hero machine. “Techno,” he called out as he grabbed the man’s sleeve. The taller man hummed questioningly. “Guitar Hero is right there, can we stop by before we find a table?” Techno nodded and let Alex lead the way. As they approached the game he could hear a song being played. They rounded the edge of the machine and saw the massive line. At least fifteen people were in line to play the game. All watching as the person at the screen hit the notes. 

“Hey, I know you want to play it but let’s go play another game until the line dies down.”

Alex nodded, that made sense. They walked past the machine and further into the games. Seeing air hockey and skeeball. A couple giggled as they competed, hitting the plastic puck into each other's goals. He turned towards Techno and fake gagged. Smiling when the other laughed. As they passed games he caught sight of a stacker. “Hey come over here.” They made way to the game. Alex popped in a few coins and got to work. Focusing on not losing a block so fast into the game. He waited until the right moments to press the button. As the blocks stacked higher the game sped up. Rapidly moving from one side of the screen to the other. He exhaled frustrated when he lost a block. Then another, and finally his last one. “Fuck.” Alex said as he watched the stack tumble down, so close to the jackpot too.

“It’s fine, these games are rigged anyways.” Techno patted his back reassuringly. “Let’s go find a table.”

They walked back through the crowds of people and to the sitting area, finding an unused table. They settled into the booth. The chilling air and arcade noises started to fade out of Alex’s ears. Slowly, he leaned forward before resting his head on his arms. Feeling drowsy from the walking but too cold to fall asleep. His sleep schedule had been unhealthy to say the least. Staying up till 12 to 3 am and waking up around 6 am. The air nipped at the exposed skin of his wrists and ankles. A chill wracked through his body. He wouldn’t be able to rest like this. Alex jerked in surprise when he felt warmth engulf him. He looked up to see Techno, now without his jacket and staring outside. Alex scooted over and leaned against the pink haired man. He felt the taller tense up before relaxing. He put his head back down on the table, feeling the gaze of the other through his beanie. Slowly, he felt sleep consume him. 

“I leave for twenty minutes and now I’m out of the cuddle group? This is ridiculous.”

Alex blearily opened his eyes, only to find a pouting Fundy at the foot of the table, feigning hurt as he gazed at the two sleeping offenders. Alex hummed before flapping his hand, gesturing for the red head to come over. The computer science major sighed before moving, yelping when the shorter man grabbed his shirt and tugged him down.

“Give me a warning next time!” Fundy squeaked out as he wiggled in the seat, trying to adjust and find a comfortable position. 

“Stop yelling. You’re going to wake Techno.” Alex said groggily. Snuggling into Fundy’s shirt as the red head finally settled down. He could feel the heat radiating off the other. The rise of the redhead's chest with every breath moved Alex’s head. Fundy’s heartbeat filled the shorter man’s ears.

“Too late.” A deep monotone voice rang out.

“Mmm shut up.” The shortest of the bunch said. Trying desperately to get some more shut eye. He sighed as he felt Fundy wrap his arms around his torso and Techno move a bit closer.

The next time Alex woke up the orange rays from the sun greeted him. Shining into his eyes as it disappeared over a distant mountain. The parking lot filled with less cars than before. He saw as the street lights and store signs began to light up the darkening night. Someone cleared their throat. Alex turned his head, he looked up to see a worker. “Excuse me sir, you aren’t allowed to sleep in the establishment.” They said, eyes darting between the two men Alex was squished between. He nodded. 

“Sorry, we’re here to play but the game we wanted had a line. We sat down and just dozed off.” A yawn broke through as he finished the sentence. Rubbing at his eyes and blinking, blurry edges coming into focus and he could see better. The worker nodded, set down their order and left. Alex looked at it, the pizza looked fresh and had slices of pepperoni. The smell was quite lovely for this kind establishment. He went to reach for a slice, forgetting the men laying on him. Fundy slid off his shoulder and hit his head on the table. 

“Fuck!” The redhead yelled out, rubbing his forehead in pain. The same time Techno jolted up 

“What happened?” His voice was rougher than usual and his wired glasses were crooked.

Alex tried to stifle his laughter. “Are you okay, Fundy?” He grabbed the man in question’s face and examined his forehead, humming as he touched the area. The redhead was pouting, wincing a bit when Alex touched the affected area. “You’re fine, your big ass forehead didn’t suffer.” He dropped the man's face and went back to the pizza.

“Hey!” Fundy yelled out as Techno laughed a bit. After another minute of pouting the redhead grabbed a slice and dined with the others. Little talk was made as they ate, basking in each other's presence and the surprisingly good food. This was the first time they hung out as a group all month. Alex wanted to enjoy it, he missed it, he missed them. The laughing, the talking, the very weird yet fun situations. That’s what kept him going, they kept him going. Without them, he would be gone. They made all this agony worth living. All this living worth dying when it’s meant to happen. 

“Are- are you okay?” He didn’t notice their stares, too lost in thought. But the words had him rushing back to the present.

“Of course I am.” He said, smiling. Gums showing and his cheeks ached from the pressure. It hurt. Alex was genuinely happy, the happiest he's been in a long time. Sure when he got his piercings and tattoos it was euphoric, but those were small bursts. This, this he could feel in his entire body. It’s the kind that warms you and holds onto your heart.

“You’re crying.” Techno pointed out, his voice soft. 

“No I’m no-” Alex stopped. He went to touch his cheek and was met with a moist feeling. He sat frozen before more tears were shed. He wasn’t sad, why was he crying?

“It’s okay, let it out.” The taller men wrapped their arms around Alex, embracing him as he cried more. The tears blinded his eyesight, making everything blobs of colors with no definable shapes. He tried blinking them back but it was no use. They spilled out his eyes and onto his hands, onto Fundy’s shirt, onto the booth seating. He was shaking, but not from the cold. He shivered as the tears slowed. Alex sniffled as he wiped his eyes, breathing in and out to help him calm down. 

“I love you guys.” His voice was raw and there was a bump in his throat. He tried clearing his throat but the bump didn’t move.

“We love you too.” They stayed like that for a bit longer. Alex could tell the taller were mouthing words to one another. Their jaws moved against his head every time their mouths opened. First Fundy pulled away, then Techno. Alex looked up at them before giggling a little. Soon giggles turned into laughter. The look of concern spreading over the others faces was quite priceless.

“Why are you laughing?” Fundy asked, his eyebrows creasing a bit.

Alex tried to calm down, his stomach hurting. “It’s just funny is all. I mean, who would’ve known I would spend Valentine’s Day with my best friends. Crying in Chuck E. Cheese after falling asleep in it.”

“It is kinda funny.” Techno huffed out a bit, his voice laced with a smile. “All right, dry your tears and get it together. Remember.” The pink haired man said, waiting for Alex to finish the sentence. “A bad bitch never cries!” He yelled out a bit too loud, getting stares from other patrons. “Maybe I said that too loud.” Alex said as he slid down in the booth, trying to shrink away from disapproving looks and prying eyes.

“Maybe just a bit.” Fundy stuffed pizza into his mouth as he agreed, unbothered by the glances coming his way.

They downed the rest of the pizza in silence. Though they could feel the occasional glace sent their way. A look from Techno sent them retreating. For a man with pink hair he could be very intimidating. 

“I’m gonna go to Guitar Hero now.” Alex said as he finished wiping his hands. “Scooch.” He pushed Fundy, not even giving the man time to move.

“Didn’t know today was a bully Fundy day,” The redhead grumbled as he moved from the seat. Allowing Alex to hop out of the booth. 

“You know I love you,” Alex sang out.

“Yeah yeah, go play.” The taller moved to sit opposite Techno.

Alex nodded before walking off. Heading the direction he vaguely remembers seeing the game. He walked on the sticky carpet, coming across less couples than before. The establishment was running close to empty. As he came upon the arcade game he saw no line. Alex smiled as he pulled off the guitar from the machine and threw it over his head. He popped in the coins and pushed the ready button, choosing his normal difficulty and a familiar song.

The chart pulled up. Alex’s fingers moved rapidly as he read the chart. The clacking of buttons was background noise. His hand hurt a bit from moving the bar. Pushing up and down rapidly to catch the notes. Currently playing _Helicopter_ , he mumbled the lyrics while focusing on not missing a beat. 

Guitar Hero was one of his favorite games. The game combined some of his favorite things, video games and music. He mindlessly clicked the bar in his mouth. Bopping his head to the beat of the song. As he came to the end of the game the chart showed up. 

Alex put in his alias, Quackity, taking the number one spot for that difficulty of _Helicopter_. Along with not missing a note, earning him a 694 note streak. He smiled a bit before putting in four more coins. He flicked the bar around as he searched for a song. The bits of music playing momentarily before switching again as he skimmed the songs. Alex continued on the search for a sing before coming across his choice.

The tidbit it played sounded nice and it had a cool name. He nodded before choosing it. He waited as the screen loaded. _Closer_ , it read in the top corner. The chart pulling up and the bass line starting off. His hand rested on the notes as he waited for the guitar to kick in. Readying as he watched the approaching notes. The beginning started off strong, immediately hooking him. The lead singer's voice complimented the chords so well. 

Alex mumbled what the lyrics somewhat sounded like. Focusing once again on not missing a beat. The chart wasn’t too hard, simple to follow. His eyes darted between the notes. The ending chart changed up a bit, throwing the short boy off. Missing one note before continuing again. His eyes burned at the mess up, a bit embarrassed. Alex sighed as the song completely ended. ‘’You Rock!’ flashing across the screen. 

The note streak popped up, showcasing the 437 streak. Alex smiled before putting in his alias, once again taking the number one spot. Not bad for his first time playing the song. He admired his work as he heard a voice from behind him.

“I could beat that score, this is easy.”

Alex whipped around to see who said that. A couple feet behind him were three men. One wore an obnoxious shade of green as another wore stupid sunglasses. And the last had shaggy dark brown hair. The first was absurdly tall as the last two were closer to Alex’s height. Alex glared at the men. They inched closer to the arcade machine. As they approached he could make out piercings. They all had piercings. The green boy had ear piercings, the glasses one had a nose ring, and the shaggy boy had snake bites. If Alex wasn’t angry he would’ve thought about how attractive the lip piercings were. “Which one of you said that?”

He saw as snake bites, the man's name for the time being, stepped forward. A cocky smile painting his lips. “I did.”

“Prove it.” 

“Huh?” Snake bite’s attitude faltered for a moment.

“I said prove it. Show me that you can beat my score on _Closer_.” Alex said, the guitar hanging loosely on him as he talked. Cocking an eyebrow and smirking.

“Fine. Give me the guitar.” He took off the loop and handed it over to the man. Putting coins into the machine before stepping back. Alex watched as the man customized his character. Picking a cool guitar before heading to the song log. Snake bites clicked on the song and prepared for the notes to roll in. Immediately he got into the groove of things. Clicking the color coded buttons at the neck of the gaming guitar and messing with the bar. The first part of the song went smoothly, no mess ups and the man appeared to know the song.

Alex leaned against the side of the machine, watching the look of concentration on his face. Now that they were closer Alex noticed the tiny amount of stubble covering his face and the dark blue highlights in his hair. The way he knitted his brows in concentration. He was hot to say the least. Suddenly the man's eyes flickered off the chart and met his. He winked and made a kissing motion before continuing playing. Alex could feel his cheeks heat up and scoffed, Snake bites may be hot but he was cocky.

Turning his attention back to the screen he saw how the song was ending and the note streak. His jaw dropped, the mother fucker had a perfect note streak and higher than his. Then the man laughed as he put in his name, _Sapnap_. Such a fitting name for someone like him, oddly. 

“Now, I believe I proved it.” That damn smirk, it was irritating. The way it complimented his features. So irritatingly hot, it made Alex mad.

“You just got lucky.” Alex said through clenched teeth. 

“Mhmm.”

“Alright hot shot. I challenge you.”

“Challenge?” The green boy said.

“Not talking to you. I’m talking to Sapnap over here.”

“A challenge huh?” The man in question asked, ignoring the gasp from his friend for not defending him.

“Yeah a challenge. You, me, right here right now. Let’s see who's the best at Guitar Hero.” 

The same stupidly hot smirk made an homage on the man’s face. “You’re on.”

Alex got up from the side of the machine and moved next to the man. Grabbing the other guitar attached to the machine and putting it on. He put in another four coins and clicked his button. The screen popped up and they chose ‘duet’ over ‘face off’ so they could play the same exact chart. Picking the expert difficulty just to raise the stakes Alex skimmed down the songs. Already having one in mind. He went until he reached the end of the list, clicking on it before the tidbit even started playing. The screen loaded and showed the title in the corner, _Surfing With The Alien_. The song started off intensely, immersing the two men. Alex tried to focus on his chart and not get distracted. 

The meter in the middle moved back and forth between the two. Switching whenever the other’s points went up. A crowd started forming around them as they displayed their talent. The crowd was in awe as they watched the two men compete. He could hear whispers as people stared at the screen. Alex could feel the tip of his ears get hot under the gaze of the crowd. Trying to tune them out as he felt the sinking feeling of nervousness in his stomach. 

He felt as his throat tightened a bit and his hands shook. Going toe to toe, neither one of them missed a note. Which was an incredible achievement in Alex’s book, at this point he would’ve missed a note or two. He smiled at the thought as the final chorus neared. All was going well until Sapnap faltered a bit, missing a handful of notes. 

“Yes!” Alex cried as the other man yelled out.

“No!” Sapnap quickly regained his composure and continued with the song. It was no use, the missed notes put him severely behind with no chance of catching up. Alex kept a steady pace of first. The song ended, the screen showing ‘Player Two Wins!!’ 

“Suck that, bitch!” Alex screamed out, yelling in the other man’s face before laughing. Sapnap looked starstruck. “Cat got your tongue, _Sappy_.” Maybe he shouldn’t have used such a nickname without knowing the other that much, but the reaction he got was worth it.

Blush covered the man’s face as he shoved Alex’s shoulder playfully, “Shut up.”

The crowd slowly dispersed, showing Fundy and Techno standing there. Soon it was just the six of them. “You wanna play again?”

“Sure, why not.” They popped back on the equipment and played a couple more rounds. Nudging each other, willing the other to mess up and laugh. While in the middle of their last song, one with an easier chart, they talked. 

“You know what sounds good right about now? Boba.”

“I’ve only had boba like twice and hated it.” 

With the sound that escaped Sapnap you would’ve thought there was a murder. “Don’t say such things.”

“It’s true though,” Alex said, standing by his point.

“I know how to change your mind. There’s a boba place right across the street. Want to go?”

Alex thought about it, hanging out with someone he’d just met was a horrible idea, completely unsafe. Unless… “Can I bring my friends?”

“Of course!”

“Thanks,” A smile graced Alex’s face.

The walk there was quite calm. The one in green and the sunglasses boy walked in the front. The middle was Sapnap and Alex, and behind them were Fundy and Techno. Alex could fell their stares piercing the back of his head, but the way Sapnap’s hand brushed his as they walked distracted him. Soon they came upon the shop.

Alex took notice of how tiny the boba shop was as the two groups shuffled in. The little store was quite cold, the floor lined with shiny white tiles that would put Walmart’s flooring to shame. The menu was plastered on the wall with pictures of drinks and desserts. The store played some soft lofi, adding to the small homey feeling. He could smell the spicy chicken that was usually offered at tea shops like this one. The register sat a few feet in front of him, and their groups went up to order. Alex stared at the menu, confused at the different flavors, before Fundy was nudging him, pushing him to the front to order.

His mind went blank. “Uhh…”

Sapnap scoffed good naturedly. “He’ll get what I got, thank you so much.”

The woman at the register just nodded and Alex saw the flashing letters read **[one mango green tea, regular boba, lychee jelly]**

He fished in his pockets for his wallet and dropped it on the ground, face going red when Sapnap leaned down to help him pick up his change. He cleared his throat and averted his eyes from the weirdly attractive way that the other man was crouching and handed a $5 bill to the general direction of the register, shamelessly thinking about Sapnap crouching.

They went to sit down, and Techno gave him a look that very clearly said ‘we’ll talk about this later’. Alex just rolled his eyes and went to go pick up their drinks, balancing all six in his hands before setting them down on the table. Immediately, chatter started amongst them, though he didn’t engage and just listened.

Alex hummed as he chewed on the tapioca. It had an interesting texture and tasted a bit like honey. The mango drink complimented the flavor well. He wasn’t fond of boba but this was surprisingly good. The lychee jelly at the bottom tasted absolutely amazing, and he felt like he could eat it as a meal.

“What the fuck, Fundy!” Dream was almost choking with how hard he was laughing. Fundy had told a joke about something to do with a wedding and a runaway bride, and the entire table had erupted. Even George, who had taken a slight disliking to their group, had chuckled, burying his face in Dream’s hoodie. 

Alex had figured out they were dating by the way they sat, Dream’s arm curled protectively around George while the shorter’s hand rested on Dream’s leg casually, like second nature. It sent a pang through his heart. He wanted that kind of easy love with someone. Someone who possibly was a musician. Or someone who stole from Walmart. Or someone with snake bites and long, brown hair.

Speaking of someone with snake bites and long brown hair, Alex turned his head to stare at Nick, or Sapnap as he preferred to be called. He had dimples that prominently showed up when he laughed, and he would stick his tongue out a little bit when he was trying to get the boba out of the straw, but if Alex noticed these things, he definitely denied it. The rest of the afternoon passed in a bit of a blur of laughter and drinks. Numbers were exchanged and they said their goodbyes after getting the evil eye from no less than 7 employees for being there longer than three hours. 

Alex, Fundy, and Techno went out to the parking lot and the hum of the car engine starting filled the air around them.

“So, what do you think about them?” Alex asked as they piled into the car, taking the backseat. 

“They seem nice.” Fundy said as he buckled up.

“What about you Techno? What do you think?” He turned his attention to the pink haired man. He saw as the taller cleaned his glasses before propping them back on.

“I’m not sure, too early to form an opinion on them. Okay for the most part but I don’t know what to think of Dream.”

“Mr. Teakettle laugh? You’re just mad there’s someone taller than you now.”

“I plead the fifth,” Techno replied as he put the car in reverse and pulled out of the parking lot.

“Well I think they’re nice.”

“We could tell,” Fundy said as he studied the contents on his phone.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Alex felt a bit lost.

“What we mean is we can tell you like them. With you eye fucking Sapnap and all.” A light teasing tone danced in Technos voice.

Alex gasped out as if it was the most scandalous thing. “I was _not_ eye fucking him!”

“Mmm I beg to differ.” Fundy interjected. “Your eyes said. Bend me over and-”

“Stop talking!!” The shortest yelled out, burning with embarrassment as the other two laughed.

  
Alex admired their smiles in the horrible glow of the street lights. Now, _this_ was euphoria. Alex let out a loud laugh and a yell of joy. Yeah, this was good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me and mommyissues were thinking of a name for our little trio here but drew a blank, perhaps you guys could name them
> 
> i hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! some cutesy stuff after that angst

**Author's Note:**

> here is the link for the playlist if you haven't found it  
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ekoEts0o6f7QaiB67no6M?si=fMkcO8hDRGqwgp3SpzlMzw


End file.
